Respiratory Therapy

The ancient Chinese healing practice of acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat many ailments, especially pain. Today, this therapy that addresses disharmony in the body, mind, and spirit is widely practiced throughout China and is… Read more »

The ancient Chinese healing practice of acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat many ailments, especially pain. Today, this therapy that addresses disharmony in the body, mind, and spirit is widely practiced throughout China and is… Read more »

Communication links all human beings together. As individuals age, their ability to perceive information through their senses is often distorted or impaired. Age-related sensory changes impact the quality of life and the quality of communication. Age… Read more »

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a condition in which the concept of loss is central—the loss of one’s memories, independence, the ability to recognize loved ones, and the loss of dignity. Often referred to as “the long goodbye,” AD is the most common typ… Read more »

Animals have been a part of our lives as long as we have been on the planet. The health benefits of the human-animal bond are far reaching. From guide dogs, to watching fish in an aquarium, to swimming with dolphins, animals provide us with companion… Read more »

Aromatherapy is a complementary and alternative, holistic, and integrative therapy that uses essential oils to promote both physical and psychological health. It is often used in conjunction with massage, meditation, and other therapies to achieve he… Read more »

Ayurvedic medicine is a highly sophisticated religion, philosophy, and system of medicine that has been practiced in India for over 2,500 years. As with other forms of complementary and alternative medicine, it focuses on the whole individual and one… Read more »

While modern medicine has produced many scientific advances, one of the most important “advances” in health and medicine has been the recognition of the value of herbs and herbalism. After all, nature and plants have been an essential part of everyda… Read more »

Caregivers are individuals who provide care to an individual who needs assistance. Caregivers can be professionals but are often unpaid individuals who support a loved one through an illness or the last phase of life. The experience can be immensely… Read more »

Living to be 100 years old was once considered a rare occurrence, but with advancements in medicine and lifestyle changes, living to be 100 is not so improbable today. As a group, there are more centenarians worldwide than ever before, with the large… Read more »

An intimate and complex experience, childbirth reflects a woman’s biology as well as the social context in which delivery takes place. The experience of every woman is unique to her and deeply personal because of the culture in which she gives birth… Read more »

Pain interferes with the enjoyment of life. It makes it difficult to work, socialize with friends and family, sleep, and accomplish activities of daily living. It may reduce productivity and create financial hardships in terms of lost work and high m… Read more »

The use of color in healing has a long history. A fundamental aspect of environmental design, color has also been linked to physical, psychological, and social reactions in all of its uses. Color’s characteristics can influence how it is used in heal… Read more »

With the advent of astounding scientific and technological advances in every area of health care, today’s healthcare environment is increasingly fraught with complex patient care issues. Healthcare professionals often have varying views on legal and… Read more »

Just like a builder needs a blueprint to ensure a house will be structurally sound and resemble the vision laid out on the blueprint, a successful healthcare entrepreneur needs to create a business plan for his or her vision. Creating a business plan… Read more »

A healing relationship involves two major elements—a relationship with the self (intrapersonal relationship) and relationships with others (interpersonal relationships). Each is critical to creating a healing environment for an organization’s staff a… Read more »

The culturally diverse health care populations in the United States provide health care professionals with tremendous opportunities to bridge cultural gaps, incorporate new treatments and disease prevention strategies into their practices, and learn… Read more »

At the end of life, attitudes about the loss of a loved one profoundly affect how both a dying person and his or her family and friends address the dying and the grieving processes. Diverse populations in the United States provide healthcare professi… Read more »

Our diet has a profound impact on our health and well-being as well as the health of the environment, yet many of us are not aware of where our food originated or how it was produced. We eat toxic, irradiated, or genetically altered foods, and we eat… Read more »

What is grief? What are normal grief responses? What is involved in the final life transition—death? These are some of the questions that will be discussed in this course. The role of culture, palliative and hospice care, advance directives, and the… Read more »

Diabetes during pregnancy can provide a special challenge to the patient and her healthcare providers. The effects of poorly controlled blood glucose levels can result in life-threatening effects for both the mother and the fetus.

Ectopic pregnancies are a gynecological emergency that can seriously affect a woman’s health and fertility. However, new developments in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition have resulted in greatly improved maternal mortality and morbidity…. Read more »

Communication is how people exchange information, opinions, and ideas and it links all human beings together. Intimate, complex, and necessary for our very survival, communication can profoundly affect our overall health and wellness. Today, communic… Read more »

Older adults today are vibrant, independent, living longer, and in better health than their ancestors. However, as this growing population increases, so does the issue of caring for elderly individuals. Caregivers must often cope with stressful econo… Read more »

Older adults today are vibrant, independent, living longer, and in better health than their ancestors. However, as this growing population increases, so does the issue of caring for elderly individuals. Caregivers must often cope with stressful econo… Read more »

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are an ever-present threat to the health and livelihood of individuals, families, communities, and countries all over the world. The greatest burden of EIDs lies in developing countries and among infants and childr… Read more »

What is grief? What are normal grief responses? What is involved in the final life transition – death? The dying experience is a profound, individual experience. The experience of loss and grief are as individual and unique as the persons involved. D… Read more »

Using a multidisciplinary team approach, the primary goals of hospice and palliative care are to provide symptom control, psychosocial and spiritual care, and optimal quality of life. The role of hospice and palliative care is rapidly expanding due t… Read more »

Pain assessment and management are especially important for high-quality end-of-life care. To provide quality care to individuals at this stage of their lives, health care practitioners must be particularly skilled at assessing pain, understanding mi… Read more »

For health care professionals to provide compassionate, quality care to patients at the end of life, they must understand the many changes the patient undergoes. Holistic end-of-life care provides relief, comfort, and support whenever possible. It in… Read more »

The old paradigms of health care are shifting as a growing number of researchers, physicians, nurses, and other health practitioners embrace a new view that includes energy healing. Traditional healers have practiced energy healing methods for centur… Read more »

The concept that energy systems are part of the human interactive environment and a powerful part of therapeutic healing techniques has been part of many cultures for centuries. Energy medicine therapies use gentle techniques thought to help balance… Read more »

Qigong is an integrated mind-body-spirit energy healing discipline that has been practiced in China for thousands of years. Qigong is more than exercise. It is a holistic system of self-healing with a focus on posture and movement, breathing techniqu… Read more »

Healthcare professionals face ethical dilemmas every day of their professional lives. Ethical decision-making is an important part of the care they provide to their patients and clients. A sound understanding of key ethical issues helps healthcare pr… Read more »

There has been a dramatic rise in the use and acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies in the United States. However, there are ethical issues that remain unresolved surrounding provider oversight, inconsistent legislative… Read more »

Creating a successful business means understanding the world of finance. Although this world is often intimidating, financial literacy is a critical skill for entrepreneurs. Many businesses fail because of a lack of adequate funding, so this remains… Read more »

An important element of health is the ability to understand what is in the food we eat. Knowing how to read and understand food labels can help individuals make healthier food choices. Many consumers do not fully understand what the labels on their f… Read more »

Physical activity and movement are essential elements of any program designed for obtaining or maintaining health and well-being. While most individuals associate physical activity with aerobics, many activities comprise a well-rounded and interestin… Read more »

Although there are many ways to meditate and many different forms of meditation, they all share the characteristic of intentionally training a person’s attention and concentration. Meditation practices are used by diverse cultures, are rooted in the… Read more »

Spirituality plays an important role in health and healing. This course will explore the forms and expressions of spirituality; discuss culture and its relationship to spirituality; examine the relationship between spirituality and aging; explain spi… Read more »

Meditation is a mind-body practice with many methods and variations that are all grounded in the silence and stillness of present-moment awareness. Evidence of meditation’s health effects has been well documented: the practice offers improvement in t… Read more »

As the number of people age 65 and older increases in the United States and the world, we are faced with challenges and opportunities in every aspect of our society. Policymakers, businesses, healthcare providers, and families must make new decisions… Read more »

Individuals’ lifestyles can have a powerful impact on the health of their body and mind. The brain is affected by virtually every aspect of their life including their levels of stress, the foods they choose to eat, the amount and type of physical act… Read more »

Personal health information is protected under federal law. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides for the protection and security of personal health information. Both healthcare professionals and consumers must unde… Read more »

Since they were first described in 1981, more than a quarter of a century ago, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remain a persistent and widespread threat to the health, well-being, and human potential o… Read more »

Since they were first described in 1981, more than a quarter of a century ago, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remain a persistent and widespread threat to the health, well-being, and human potential o… Read more »

The past several decades have brought tremendous growth in the numbers of health care facilities and providers offering integrative health care training and services. Consumers in the United States use these complementary and alternative medicine (CA… Read more »

Stress affects each of us every day and while some of us rise to the occasion, others experience myriad physiological, psychological, and spiritual effects. How we cope with stress can determine the current and future state of our health and well-bei… Read more »